Stalk-cutter.



PATEN TED SEPT. 25, 1906. W. G. STEVENSON.

STALK CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM CROOK STEVENSON, OF CORPUS CHRISTI. TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALEX. \VEIL, OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS. A

STALK-CUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, 1906.

To (tZZ wit/2772 it 72mg concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CRooK STEVENSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Corpus Christi, in the county of Nueces and State ofTexas, have invented a new and useful Stalk-Cutter, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention has relation to stalkcut ters; and it consists in thenovel construction and arrangement of its parts, as hereinafter shownand described. i r

The object of the invention is to provide a stalk-cutter of specialconstruction. The tongue to which the draftanimals are attached ispivotally connected with the axle supporting the cutting-blade. Alever-link connection is provided between the tongue and thecutting-blade, whereby the latter may be adjusted vertically at will.

The special features of construction will be pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of thestalk-cutter. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

The axle 1 is located in the sleeve 2 and projects beyond the endsthereof. The wheels 3 3 are mounted upon the axle 1 and bear at theirhubs against the ends of the sleeve 2. The tongue 4 is pivoted at itsrear end between the lugs 5 5 to the sleeve 2. The brace 6 is attachedat its forward end to the tongue 4 and at its rear end enters aperforation in the lug 7, located upon the sleeve 2. At a point behindthe tree 8 the said tongue is provided with a longitudinally-extendingvertically-disposed opening 9. The lever 10 is fulcrumed at its lowerend in the said opening 9 and is provided with the spring-actuatedpawl11 of usual construction. The gear-segment 12 is located upon the uppersurface of the tongue at the side of the opening 9 and is so positionedas to receive the end of the pawl 11, carried by the lever 10. The stub13 is attached to the sleeve 2 and extends at right angles to thelongitudinal axis thereof. Said stub is located to one side of themiddle of the said sleeve and is generally horizontally disposed. Thelaterally-extending rod 14 is attached to the forward end of the stub13. The end of the said rod passes under the opening 9 of the tongue 4.The link 15 is attached at its upper end to the lever 10 and at itslower end to the rod 14. The blade 16 consists of a metallic striphaving substantially rectangularly-disposed ends. Said blade is attachedat one end to the end of the stub 13, and its other end portion isprovided with a cutting edge 17. The portion of the blade 16 having theedge 17 extends at an angle to the tongue 4 and the line of the draft ofthe implement. Consequently as the implement is drawn over the groundand the cutting edge 17 engages the stalks the same are severed by ashearing cut.

The brace 18 is attached at one end to the stub 13 and at its other endto the vertical section 19 of the blade 16. The brace 20 is attached atone end to the stub 13 in advance of the sleeve 2 and at its other endto the horizontal section 21 of the blade 16. The seat 22 is supportedupon the seat-post 23, the lower end of which is attached to the stub13. The upper end of the lever 10 is within convenient operatingdistance of the seat 22.

It is obvious that as the implement is drawn over the ground theoperator may by the manipulation of the lever 10 pitch the stub 13 atany desired angle with relation to the tongue 4. As the rear end of thesaid stub is elevated or depressed the blade 16 is correspondinglyraised or lowered and its vertical working position is thus adjusted. Bythrowing the free end of the said lever 10 for ward as far as possiblethe blade 16 is elevated to such an extent as to clear the ground andusual objects located thereon, and thus the implement may be drawn alongroads or from field to field without interfering with such objects.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. A stalk-cutter consisting of a wheelsupported axle, a tonguepivotally connected at its end with said axle, a stub located upon theaxle and extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis thereof, ablade having a horizontally-disposed cutting edge attached to said stub,a lever fulcrumcd upon the tongue, a link connecting said lever withsaid stub.

2. A stalk-cutter consisting of a wheelsupported axle, a tonguepivotally connected at its rear end to said axle, a stub located uponthe axle and extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis thereof,a blade having a horizontally-disposed cutting edge attached to saidstub, the cutting edge of the said blade in horizontal lane beinglocated at an angle to the line 0 draft of the implement, a leverfulcrumed upon the tongue, a link connecting said lever with said stub.

3. A stalk-cutter consisting of a wheelsupported axle, a tonguepivotally connected at its rear end to said axle, a stub located uponthe axle and extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis thereof,a blade having Vertical and horizontal ortions, the vertical portionbeing attache to said stub and the horizontal portion being disposed atan angle to the line of draft of the implement, a brace connecting thevertical portion of the blade with the rear portion of the stub, a braceconnecting the horizontal ortion of the blade with the forward part 0the stub, a lever fulcrumed upon the tongue, and a link connecting saidlever to the forward end of the stub.

4. A stalk-cutterconsisting of a wheelsupported axle, a sleeve receivingsaid axle, a tongue pivoted at its rear end to said sleeve, acutting-blade supported by an extension of the sleeve, a lever fulcrumedupon the tongue and being operatively connected with an extension of thesaid sleeve.

5. A stalk-cutter consisting of a Wheelsupported axle, a sleevereceiving the same and bearing at its ends against the hubs of theWheels, a tongue pivoted at its rear end to said sleeve, a cutting-bladecarried by an extension of the sleeve, a lever fulcrumed to the tongueand being operatively connected with the lateral extension carried bythe sleeve.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixedmy signature in I the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM CROOK STEVENSON. Witnesses:

J. M. BARRERA, Morsn WEIL.

